Posts Tagged ‘faith’
Godly things don’t interest me
Question: Good morning, sir, Sir, now the things of God do not interest me. I have not really told anyone about Christ because when I tell them about Christ most of them agree to hand over their lives to Christ, but at the end, I realize that I am not happy. It seems like their…
Read MoreI Don’t Feel Forgiven
by Whit Sasser Everyone keeps telling you that you need to learn to forgive yourself; but the truth is, you need to learn to trust God. If God says you are forgiven, then you are forgiven. “But, I don’t feel like I am forgiven.” My friend, forgiveness is a promise of God, not a feeling of…
Read MoreHow can I overcome the fear of death?
Question: Hi Mr. Hamilton, Is there a way to become unafraid of death? I have been terrified of dying since I was very young and sometimes it consumes my thoughts. I fear the concept of being put in a box in the ground unable to move, think, feel or talk to anyone for who knows…
Read MoreDistinguishing Faith and Feelings
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/DistinguishingFaithAndFeelings.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 11:1-6 I. Many in the denominational world are told that faith is this feeling you have inside that you are doing what is right. A. Mormons in selling Mormonism will ask you to pray and that the Holy Spirit will give you a feeling inside regarding whether what they…
Read MoreHow could the Almighty God accept me?
Question: Mr. Jeffrey, I don’t admit this to many people, but I have an issue in my thinking when it comes to God. I have a fear that no matter what I do and no matter how I try to be righteous and help others get to heaven, that at Judgment Day God will hold…
Read MoreHow to Become a Christian
by W. Frank Walton “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (II Corinthians 5:17). The Bible says salvation from sin is only in Christ (Acts 4:12). The most important commitment you’ll ever make is deciding to become a true Christian. What “steps”…
Read MoreNotes on Examples of Conversion
Where Hear Believe Repent Confess Be Baptized Result At Pentecost Acts 2:14-41 Acts 2:38 Acts 2:38, 41 Forgiveness of sins Acts 2:38 Added Acts 2:41 Acts 3:12-26; 4:2,4 Acts 4:4 Increase in number Acts 5:14 Added to number Acts 5:42 Increasing in number Samaria Acts 8:4-8, 12 Acts 8:12-13 Acts 8:12-13 Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:30-35…
Read MoreNotes on Things that Accompany Salvation
Hear Believe Repent Confess Be Baptized Obey Commanded Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:6 Commanded Acts 2:38; 17:30; 26:20 Commanded Acts 10:48 Commanded Philippians 2:12 To come to God John 6:45 To please God Hebrews 11:6 To gain times of refreshing Acts 3:19 Brings joy in heaven Luke 15:7 To be confessed before God Matthew 10:32-33 To…
Read MoreHow could Cornelius be righteous if all of man’s righteousness are filthy rags before God?
Question: Hey Mr. Jeffrey, I’m having trouble in my understanding on a matter. In the book of Isaiah it seems to insinuate that a man’s righteousness is filthy rags before God, and Isaiah, a righteous prophet, felt unclean in the sight of Holy Yahweh; yet, the Bible also states we can please God with our…
Read MoreA Song of Faith
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SongOfFaith.mp3 Text: Psalm 23 I. The most famous psalm is a song about faith. A. It weaves in a few brief words the clear message of a special relationship between man and God B. It speaks of trust and security in good times and bad. II. Faith in Times of Quiet – Psalm 23:1-3 A. The Lord is my…
Read MoreO for a Faith Such as This!
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/OForAFaithSuchAsThis.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 56 I. Read the song “O for a Faith That Will Not Shrink” by W. H. Bathhurst (#462) II. A faith without fear A. Most of our fears of our own imagination – Psalm 53:5 1. When our dreads are elusive, we make things up, and what we imagine is almost always…
Read MoreIs there a minimum level of faith needed to become a Christian?
Question: I have been a Christian for many years. When I was baptized I came up out of the water and began to doubt if I really believed in Christ. I was under much emotional stress at that time. I did not let this doubt stop me from worshiping, but I always seemed to feel…
Read MoreHow can we be confident that God will answer our prayers?
Question: Hello, I have a question regarding prayer, one which I have submitted to numerous places. I’ve tried to present it in the most concise and intellectually understandable language I can think of but have received in response almost an outright refusal to acknowledge what it is I am asking. Whether it is deliberate or…
Read MoreOur Basis of Faith
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/OurBasisOfFaith1.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreWhose Word I Praise!
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton David was on the run. The king of Israel, Saul, was determined to see him dead. His best friend, Saul’s son, confirmed that Saul would not be deterred. The threat was so severe that David decided to flee into Philistine territory. The Philistines were no friends to Israel, and David had…
Read MoreFaith in God’s Man and Method
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018Spring7FaithInGodsManAndMethod.mp3 by Raymond Warfel, Jr. 2018 Spring Meeting
Read MoreThe Faith of an Atheist
by William J. Stewart Some time ago, I had the opportunity to talk with a self-proclaimed Atheist. I found it to be a rather interesting conversation. He discussed several things which he found to be adequate evidence to discount the existence of God, none of which stood to any measure of inspection. Yet, he vehemently…
Read MoreIt is hard for me to trust a religion because I was fooled before
Question: Hello, I have read the website where I found this email. Honestly, I am not good at writing, but I just want to say that I am at a difficult time in my life that I must overcome. First of all, thank you for writing all that. I was raised by an Orthodox mother,…
Read MoreIf God were interested in me, then maybe I would be motivated to change
Question: I just read an article about an unrepentant person – a person who just doesn’t feel like repenting but believed he is a Christian. You implied that He was going to Hell. Well, I’m a little stuck at the moment. When I was 12 I realized that the crucifixion was a great sacrifice – a…
Read MoreWhy Should You Think It Incredible?
by Hugh DeLong The death of Jesus was a stumbling block. The resurrection of Jesus also causes many to stumble. In preaching to the Athenian philosophers, Paul testified that God had raised Jesus from the dead. “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked” (Acts 17:34). When Paul stood before King…
Read MoreFaith is the Evidence
by Doy Moyer “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NASB). Some translations say that faith is the “evidence” of things not seen (KJV, NKJV). What does this mean? We often point out that faith is not blind. Because of the use of the term “evidence”…
Read MoreCan a person have faith without hope or hope without faith?
Question: Can a person have faith without hope or hope without faith? Answer: Faith is what a person trusts to be true. Hope is what a person expects to happen. The answer to your question then heavily depends on what topics are being believed or hoped for. A person could say they believe in God,…
Read MoreCan you give more details on Hebrews 11:6?
Question: Can you please go into more detail about Hebrews 11:6? What does it mean that those who have faith believe that God rewards those who seek Him? Answer: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder…
Read MoreStand Still and Keep Silent
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/StandStillAndKeepSilent.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Exodus 14:5-31 I. Israel has been freed from the bondage of slavery by a series of miracles from God. A. But even as they were moving out of the Egyptian lands, Pharaoh changed his heart and came after his former slaves with an army. B. The people of Israel found themselves…
Read MoreI struggle because I have never experienced or felt my religion
Question: My question is about Christianity itself. I go to one of those big non-denominational churches you see in the metropolitan areas. I have kind of been struggling with actually experiencing God or feeling any presence. I’m not even sure if I’m a Christian. To clear any pre-misconceptions I never say profanity. I’m not against God…
Read MoreBy Many or By Few
by Irvin Himmel The situation looked grim. Saul’s men had dwindled to only about six hundred. The army of the Philistines numbered into the thousands. Saul’s men were poorly armed. Since all the smiths were among the Philistines, Saul’s soldiers had neither sword nor spear. There was much trembling among the Israelites. Some were hiding…
Read MoreAll the Bible doesn’t prove anything. If it did, how could we walk by faith?
Question: All the Bible doesn’t prove anything. If it did, how could we walk by faith? Answer: It appears that you think faith is unreasoning and based on nothing. But you cannot have faith without knowledge of the Bible. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). If…
Read MoreI don’t think I have sufficient faith
Question: Hello Brother, I came across your website over a year ago and have found it to be sound and very helpful. I am a member of the body of Christ, the church of Christ. I am 21 years old and have been a Christian for many years and have seen how the gospel of…
Read MoreDealing with Doubt
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DealingWithDoubt.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 20:19-31 I. Is it wrong to have doubts? When those moments come when you wonder if God really exists or you run across an idea that makes you wonder if you really understood the Bible correctly, have you sinned? A. Look at characters in the Old Testament and we…
Read MoreFaith Illustrated
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FaithIllustrated.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The great stories of the Bible never grow old A. We tend to idealize the characters and forget that these are ordinary people, like you and I B. People whose faith was tested and many triumphed over sin C. After discussing many people who illustrated faith, the writer of Hebrews to stand…
Read MoreTrusting God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2016Summer1TrustingGod.mp3 by Tommy Peeler God Has a Plan
Read MoreWhy the Jews Did Not Believe
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/WhyTheJewsDidNotBelieve.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 12:27-43 I. It is a curious thing, the Son of God lived among men (John 1:14) yet He was rejected A. John 1:9-11 – Even among those who were expecting Him, those who had claimed to be God’s children, did not accept him. B. How can this be? II. Because they…
Read MoreIs Our Faith Known?
by Dennis Stackhouse As the apostle Paul was beginning his letter to the Christians at Colossae, he made this statement in Colossians 1:3-4: “We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all…
Read MoreI feel like I’m close to leaving the faith
Question: For the past few months, I have been drifting away from God. Yesterday I actually was very close to leaving the faith. Yesterday, I was researching Matthew 24:34. I felt that this was finally a good reason to reject the Bible and live my life as an agnostic rather than as a Christian. Then…
Read MoreSimple Faith
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/SimpleFaith.mp3 by Andrew Long
Read MoreDoes a change in attitude come first before a person can believe?
Question: Is it necessary to repent, or turn from sin and toward God (whether you have performed one single action or not, I’m simply talking about a heart attitude change) to be able to see or believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin? Is that who has ‘ears to hear’ the gospel? The one living…
Read MoreA Comparison of Romans 4 and James 2:14-26
by Jim Sasser Recently, we have been listening to a speaker on this radio station discussing the 4th chapter of Romans as compared to the 2nd chapter of James. It was obvious, from some of his statements, that he was trying to make Paul teach salvation by faith only and at the same time cause…
Read MoreYour Faith Has Made You Well
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/YourFaithHasMadeYouWell.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 18:35-43 I. In looking at some of the miracles of Jesus in order to answer a question, I noticed something that I had not seen before A. If you look at the various miracles, you soon realize that faith on the part of the person being healed is not…
Read MoreAgainst the Odds
by Gary W. Summers What war tactic has usually proven successful? The ambush. Joshua had used it, at God’s instruction, with great success in the second attack on Ai. Once the men of that city were lured out into the open, by what they undoubtedly considered would be another route of Israel, they were hemmed…
Read MoreRahab
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Rahab.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Joshua 2:1-24 I. Rahab has given many Bible students difficulty over the years. A. James 2:14-26 – James tells us she was an example of a working faith when she took in the Israelite spies and sent them out secretly. B. Notice that her action was listed as an example similar…
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